The night was shrouded in an eerie stillness, as if the world itself held its breath in anticipation of the calamity about to unfold. The old highway stretched out in the darkness, a ribbon of asphalt cutting through the quiet countryside.

Aadhya and Ishaan were on their way back, the hum of the engine a comforting sound beneath the distant stars. It was a moment of peace, one that would soon be obliterated.